Creative Taiwan series – Visually impaired Chen Dun-bang becomes a legend

On a visit to Chulai Elementary School in Taitung’s Haiduan Township, visually impaired violinist Chen Dun-bang (陳敦邦) shared his music and life story. In senior high school, Chen Dun-bang remembers winning the county flute championships. However, it wasn’t until after participating in Taiwan’s 1975 university entrance exam and securing a place in the first class of students at Chinese Culture University’s Department of Music, that Chen Dun-bang effectively overcame his disability.

In subsequent years, as a result of Chen Dun-bang’s outstanding performance, Chinese Culture University began reserving two annual places for visually impaired students - 80 of which have already graduated from the school. As a professional musician, Chen Dun-bang has opened up another avenue for the visually impaired besides the field of massage.

After graduating, Chen Dun-bang immediately began making a living through playing the violin, and is Taiwan’s only visually impaired violin teacher. Despite the fact he went completely blind at the age of 30, Chen Dun-bang continued to give classes and performances unaided. Through diligent effort, Chen Dun-bang also managed to repay a US$165,000 debt incurred from a failed investment by his wife. Although Chen Dun-bang is unable to see, he still loves the great outdoors and was the first visually impaired person to climb the great Yushan peak. 

Creative Taiwan series – Visually impaired Chen Dun-bang becomes a legend
URL:https://www.peopo.org/news/239141 
 

(以下是中文對照)
創台灣多項紀錄 視障陳敦邦寫下傳奇
 

照片

小提琴演奏家、視障人士陳敦邦，他在台東海端鄉初來國小分享了他的音樂與生命故事。民國六十四年，陳敦邦是第一位突破視障，參加聯考進入文化大學音樂系的第一位科班生。高中時，敦邦就曾拿過豎笛的全省冠軍。因為他的傑出表現，文大西樂系從此每年保留招收兩位視障學生名額，至今已有近八十人畢業，而且都以音樂為生，他替視障朋友開闢了按摩之外的另一條路。陳敦邦畢業後，就以教小提琴為生，他是台灣唯一能夠以教小提琴為生的視障老師，雖然三十歲後他眼睛已全盲，卻還可以獨自一人到學生家授課，及到各處表演，因為他的努力，償還了因他太太投資失利而欠下的五百萬鉅額負債。陳敦邦雖然看不見，卻非常喜歡戶外旅遊，他也是台灣第一位登上玉山的視障朋友。